


'cause i am still in love with that place

by orphan_account



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon Compliant, Keith uses Lance as a pillow, M/M, Sleepy Cuddles, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-05
Updated: 2016-08-05
Packaged: 2018-07-29 14:48:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7688590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>i keep my chest locked tight till the minute you come around, how did you reach my soul?</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	'cause i am still in love with that place

**Author's Note:**

> "soft" is literally the entirety of this thing, as described by sydney  
> i still have no idea how to write lance or keith so i mean take this as you will
> 
> title is from atlas hands by benjamin francis leftwich  
> summary from killer whale by smallpools

The bedroom is silent, an unusual kind of moment for Lance especially, and the brunet is definitely tucking this kind of moment away for later. His hands card carefully through his hair, hesitantly, near reverently as fingers pluck and coax knots from the tangled mess of Keith’s hair; Lance for once is quiet, and if Keith were awake to witness it, he’s positive the red paladin would drop dead. Maybe. Either way, Lance is content in the room they’re currently holed up in, since it _is_  his own and blue hued lights twinkle from the small trinket setting on his dresser; constellations pour forth from the contraption and never in his life was he more grateful he could _finally_ make out constellations from home in the small device.

Said red paladin is currently curled up on the bed, head resting against Lance's thigh, and it's a moment of peace in their wild universe that makes Lance wonder just how  _long_ they'll be this at ease.  It’s a wonder and a surprise that Keith even _l_ _ets_  Lance do this much, and the slight pause only has Keith’s eyelids (or his eyelashes from what Lance can see with the angle he sits at) fluttering in discontent. A mutter, barely audible, rises up to float across Lance’s ears; it could’ve been a curse that he stopped, a plea maybe to _keep at it_ , whatever it was it leaves Lance just a little bit breathless at the action.

Keith’s fingers twitch, hands curled protectively near his chest and Lance can't help but continue his fingers’ movement through Keith’s hair. It took the red paladin so long for this to even be a _thing_  and Lance is drowning in the sensations it drags to the forefront of his mind. It reminds him of home, of the streets he would roam at dusk, and the skittish too-world-weary cats he’d see scatter at the sound of his footsteps. He thinks of the one-eyed cat first, of the way its fur stood on end as it hissed and swiped at him for even _daring_ to come near it.

Keith was like that too, and Lance wonders when it started to change.

Lance hums quietly, a lullaby at the front of his mind and a feeling in his chest that makes things feel twenty times lighter. _Trust,_  Lance thinks with a small quirk of his lips, _is a funny thing_  and he thinks maybe this is what he was looking for in the first place. Keith is rough around the edges, sure, and he _hated_ the look in his eye when things went _his_ way rather than Lance's but Lance could tell there was something a little bit desperate, a little bit frightened in the way Keith sometimes stuck closer when missions were over and one of them were injured; remembers it _well_  in fact. The way Keith just, _blew up_  at him for diving head first into that group of enemies to help Keith—that was _him_ , an impulsive kid to the end not Lance, Lance had the range the distance—the way his eyes flickered angry-hurt-frightened before he marched his way off to live in the training room.

Lance also remembers spending every moment of his recovery time with Keith.

(and occasionally getting berated by both Keith _and_  Shiro to go eat or go to sleep.)

Glancing down at the dozing Keith, Lance raises an eyebrow and watches with interest as Keith seems to snuggle closer to him, head still on his lap. Amusement stretches across his face as he starts to fiddle with more strands of hair, parting it into three sections, and before Lance realizes it he’s braiding what little of Keith’s hair he can successfully grab in his hands. It’ll probably annoy him to death when he wakes up, but for now, Lance is content to toy with Keith’s hair. Another memory of his family surfaces, of days spent with sisters giggling with one another about the cutest boys, of the realization that _yeah_ , guys are cute _too_ , and even the nights where things stopped being _games_  and instead became real life—how will you make it in school _what are you doing with your life, Lance?_ —and then eventually being _okay_.

Okay with Keith coming into his life, of Keith’s dumb mullet that seriously needs more _care_  so of course Lance is the one to _do it_ , of the second family that he’s found in the gentle presence of Shiro’s encouragement, of Allura’s poise (and the grace with how she could bring Lance to his _knees_ , god damn), of Pidge’s abilities and the way they could rip into a computer’s database with _no mercy_ , of Hunk’s caring nature the way his best friend could tell when things got too tense, who could defuse situations easily with a hesitant interruption and a plate of the best damn _chocolate chip goo cookies_  he could make, and of Coran and his extravagant metaphors and ability to both be outrageous and yet so, so, _helpful_  with educating them on being the heroes of the universes. He’s found a second family just as kind-hearted and as outrageous as his blood relations and that, that is something that makes Lance’s chest swell with warmth as he finishes up a braid in Keith’s hair.

“D’you _seriously_  gotta do that?” Keith’s breath makes goosebumps rise across Lance’s skin when he speaks, like scattering stars against his skin and he laughs quietly.

“I could talk your ear off instead,” Lance offers, eyebrows raised suggestively, and he feels Keith roll his eyes more than he sees it actually happen, a movement here and then Lance can _see_  Keith’s violet colored eyes as he flips around to look Lance in the eye properly. There’s a glaze to Keith’s eyes, half-conscious and barely all there and it’s _incredible_ , how much the once (though he still _is_ ) stubborn red paladin has opened up and there’s still so much Lance has yet to _talk_ to Keith about yet. He’s mentioned it, offhandedly to Keith, and Lance isn’t sure what was better—the soft smile that graces Keith’s face that made Lance’s stomach do awful terrible things inside like all those years ago in the Garrison or the fact that said person nodded and went, “Well… yeah, we make a good team. So it’d make sense to trust you.” once Lance managed to _ask him_  about it.

Lance isn’t sure he’s stopped smiling faintly at Keith since he asked.

He can still feel Keith’s gaze on him, and Lance hums in amusement as he reaches down to card his fingers through his hair once more. A huff of annoyance is his only returning answer, yet it doesn’t bother him, and when Lance leans forward to press his forehead against Keith’s he soaks up the reaction he gets—warm skin against his own, the quiet inhale from Keith, the way the other paladin shifts just _so_  in an attempt to meet him halfway—and tucks it away for later. Keith makes a noise, half-awake sounding yet still tinged heavy with sleep, and Lance shifts a bit further to bump his nose against Keith’s gently. It’s still amusing, poking and prodding at Keith until the other finally shoves at him, shifting off him with an annoyed (yet fondly, Lance can _tell_ , okay?) expression on his face.

“I can’t believe you managed to braid my hair, what the _fuck_  Lance,” Keith starts, voice still somewhat hoarse and disused from his quiet dozing, and Lance laughs. He shrugs helplessly when Keith knocks a hand against his shoulder, an excuse already on his tongue, “It kept me busy and _quiet_ didn’t it?”

It’s a gentle tease, something he’s gone over before every time with the other, but it never fails to get a rise out of Keith. And by rise, Lance meant the slight upturn of his lips, something private something special for him and him alone, really. Keith rolls his eyes, _again_  and the grin that stretches across Lance’s face is definitely only for Keith.

Their own personal bonding moment.


End file.
